Doklam standoff 'affected and undermined' relations with India, says China

The Doklam stand-off "affected and undermined" India's relations with China, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday, and said both sides should ensure "differences do not go out of control".

In the first comments from a senior Chinese official following the August 28 disengagement at Doklam and Tuesday's meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Xiamen following the BRICS Summit, Wang said, "For the past few months for clear reasons, China-India relations were affected and undermined."

He said this in response to a question on bilateral ties at a press briefing in Beijing alongside visiting Nepal Deputy Prime Minister Krishan Bahadur Mahara.

Wang said, "Going forward, the two sides need to work together to follow up on the consensus reached by the two leaders and make sure bilateral relations will stay on track".

CHINA's 3-STEP PROCESS TO GET TIES BACK ON TRACK

Outlining what China sees as three steps for ties to get back on track, Wang said, "Firstly, the relationship should not be derailed"and that seeking harmonious relations and win-win cooperation was "the natural choice and the right choice" for both.

"Secondly, there should be no confrontation," he added. "We need to build strategic mutual trust and the two sides need to work to really look at each other as cooperative partners rather than be driven by an old-fashioned mindset and regard each other as rivals or threats."

Wang said both sides should also "make sure differences not get out of control". "Both sides need to remain committed to the five principles of peaceful coexistence and work together to properly handle disputes and also work together to maintain tranquility in border areas", he added.

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